Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-22
THE JOINT EXHIBITION.
Reasons Given for the Increase in the Price
of Admission,

Reasons Given for the Increase in the Price
of Admission.
Following is the report of the special
committee i'll the matter of the increase of
the admission price to the joint exhibition
at Howard Park, Burlington. VT:
At the last annual meeting of the Vermont
State Agricultural society and Champlain
Valley association a resolution was intro
duced and adopted, for 1.-THE appointment
Of committee, to correspond with the sec
retaries of agricultural societies in the sew
eral States, as to the price of admission to
their annual exhibit, and also to present to
the citizens of Vermont the reasons prompt
ing the officers of the joint exhibition for
advancing the price of admission to the fair
held by them 1T Howard Park in 1856, from
% to 80 cents. This resolution wa sug-
gested Because of 'some-pcrhaps general
criticsm-deprecating such advance.
The undersigned were made such commit
tee, and accordingly corresponded with sec
retaries of all the State and Territorial So
cietes and one in Canada, IS in all, re
ceiving replies from 3D. To the question.
''what do you charge for single admission
to your fair?' the uniform reply has been
without al exception flor adults 90 cents
for children % cents
=
ing us-in advancing in 1886 the price of adj
mission within the pale of general CUSTOM
a more potent cause influenced the managers,
that of necessity. From the organization
of the State society up to 1881, it held its
annual fair at such towns as would furnish
grounds and requisite accommodations.
The requirements were so much in excess Of
those of the county fair for which they
were designed, they became burden and
so overwhelmed any accruing advantages
that committees in the larger towns no
longer rendered them, or hestated to assume
them 1t was under these circumstan ces
that the State society voted to subscribe for
one-half of the capital stock Of the Cham
plain Valley association, incorporated and
organized in 1882, it being mutually agreed
that any year thereafter. or all years, as
the State society might elect, or believe for
its interests. they should hold a Joint fair
with the Champlain Valley association at
Howard Park, in Burlington.
The capital stock of the association was
fixed not to exceed &25 600, which was sup
posed to he ample to cover the cost of such
grounds and buildings as We're desirable but
in this estimate the managers were mistak-
en-. the actual cost for permanent constluc-
ton being S}S. 0OO This. then, was the
problem for them to sOlve-how to meet
this deficiency, aud still offer and pay
premiums proportionate to the excellence
of the stock and products of farms, exhibit
ted and to make additions thereto which
the near future will imperatively demand?
We saw no answer but III the advance
made. During all the years of the societies
existence, their directors have neither re
ceived. nor expected any remuneration for
services, giving their entire time to their
management during the days when fairs
have been held, and many days during the
year, travelling long distances to hold
meetings aScommtteeS and mourning per
sonally any incidental expense, for which
noC one cent has been taken from the treas
ury nor has any dividend been paid tC
stockholders of the Champaign Valley asso
ciation-but the surplus remaining each
year after paying premiums and the current
expense of the fair, has been applied towarC
liquidating its debts, and making such re
pairs as were demanded
Eliminating all Objectionable feature
from its grounds, such us pool selling
games of chance and intoXicants, at pc
cuniary loss of many hundred dollars it ha
in all ways been the aim and pride of tn,
directors to make this annual festiVa
worthy the industry it represents-to attain
a high standard, and create from its gath
erngs a system of popular education tina
shall show from its agricultural resource
the best products with the manner of pro
duction-the best animals, and how bred
the best machinery, and their best use, thu
emulating the progressive and advanced
ideas, permeating sister States, that ar,
only inspired by contact and comparison
We cannot compete with the prairie farm
er in quantity-we can, and more in Iual
ity.
A thorough Judge of horses, who reside
in New York, said recently to your commit
tee, Kentucky raises the best colts in tn
world, but Vermont raises the best horses
In sheep, long ago, we successfully chal
lenged the world. The show of cattle at thu
last fair, particularly in oxen, elected from
no less critic than Sir Lyon Playfair tn
remark all England cannot equal it. " Witt
the overflow of exhibits in Mechanics Hall
the def work of wives and daughters tn
choice products of field and garden, fruit
and fioweIs-the ingenious contriyances o
the skilled artizan, and agricultural ma
chinery, with grounds and buildings al
mirably fitted for their various purposes
provided at great cost, and yet but par
TALLY paid for we confidently submit to tn
public-who, when a subject is fairly un
derstood is as WHOLE always right
whether with the large expenditure, will
the wish and purpose OF extending and ad
ding to present facilities, that every new
YEARS exhibit shall be more numerous anC
of greater excellence than those Of the ole